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Court denies Sterling's appeal of Clippers sale

Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Donald Sterling's latest effort to stop the Clippers from being sold has quickly been denied by an appeals court.

Steve Ballmer's $2 billion bid to purchase the team closed Tuesday after a California court confirmed Shelly Sterling's authority to sell the team on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust.

Donald Sterling appealed the decision on Wednesday and was promptly denied.

The sale was prompted after former owner Donald Sterling was banned for life from the NBA by commissioner Adam Silver in late April and fined $2.5 million for his racially offensive comments. The NBA had charged Donald Sterling with damaging the league by making racist remarks.

Ballmer takes over after weeks of legal battling between Shelly and Donald Sterling. Ballmer has recently stated that owning the Clippers isn't about benefiting from the team in monetary value, but that he is to "live out the dream" in trying to win a championship along with repairing the image of the organization.